Welcome to Cape Girardeau
Community Profile

Cape Girardeau is located approximately 100 miles south of St. Louis , nestled between the Mississippi River and Interstate-55. Cape Girardeau has a population of more than 36,000 people and is the commercial, educational, and medical center of the southeast Missouri region. Although Cape Girardeau is known for its small town atmosphere and hospitality, it is estimated that as many as 90,000 people come into the city daily to work, shop, attend classes at Southeast Missouri State University , or receive medical care from the two full-service hospitals.

Rising from the bedrock of the Mississippi River , concrete spires emerge from the water like monoliths from a science fiction movie. Meanwhile, graders move earth along the shores of the river, preparing for a road that by 2015 is expected to carry 26,000 cars across the river in and out of Cape Girardeau every day.

The new Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge cost more than $100 million and was completed in December 2003. The bridge was constructed with Federal and State funds and is named in honor of the late Congressman Bill Emerson. The bridge replaced an old, outdated bridge that was constructed in 1927. Missouri State Highway 74 now begins at the four-lane suspension bridge and continues through Cape Girardeau, connecting with Interstate-55 exit 95, opening avenues for commerce and travel for the entire southeast Missouri region.

Cape Girardeau is in the midst of similar changes. Although the community still relies on manufacturing and agriculture for a large number of jobs, the area is transforming itself into a more service-oriented and information-based workforce. Changes in economics and technology are forcing Cape Girardeau’s citizens to re-evaluate its place in Missouri and the world.

Technology Improves Infrastructure
The new bridge is not the only thing changing the landscape in Cape Girardeau. In the last six years, Cape Girardeau citizens have approved four major infrastructure projects that will accommodate the city’s growth over the next twenty years: sewers, streets, water, and schools. The projects embrace new technologies and have received considerable community input and support. They also provide the foundation for growth in both commerce and quality of life.

The first of these projects began in 1994, when citizens approved a $25 million Revenue Bond Issue for sewer improvements to be funded through a ¼¢ sales tax. The older sections of town had been experiencing sewer backups for years, largely due to combined sanitary and storm sewers. Traditional methods of separating sewers to correct the problem normally cause extensive trenching and street closures, inconveniencing residents and businesses alike. In partnership with Sverdrup Civil, Inc., the City sought other methods for the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) project. The result was an experiment with microtunneling.

Microtunneling is the use of a horizontal boring machine for direct installation of sewers. Vertical shafts, eight feet in diameter, are installed 100 feet apart and a microtunneler drills a hole between the shafts for the sewer pipes to be installed.

When the process was tested in May 1996, Cape Girardeau became the first location in North America to use a microtunneling system to install six- to fifteen-inch pipes in a sewer separation program. More importantly, "The City saved 7 percent of the cost for the first two sewer projects by using this method, and our citizens were not inconvenienced by torn up streets and utility problems," said former City Manager Michael G. Miller.

An $8.5 million bond extension to complete the sewer improvement program was approved by voters in February 2000.

The second major project addressed was the City’s transportation needs. As Cape Girardeau continued to grow, many streets could not handle the volume of traffic. Some residential streets were gravel, and curbs and sidewalks were in need of repair. City Council members and staff held twelve public meetings and a town hall meeting to prioritize the most important street projects.

The result was the Transportation Improvement Program, which listed 16 specific projects and four general maintenance programs and totaled more than $19 million in construction costs. On August 8, 1995, voters approved a ½¢ sales tax for five years to establish a Transportation Trust Fund to pay for these projects. When the tax expired on December 31, 2000, almost all of the projects on the priority list were completed or under construction. Voters approved a five-year extension in 2000 for 11 specified projects.

After addressing the City’s needs for sewers and streets, the third infrastructure project was the water system. Cape Girardeau’s primary source for raw water is the Mississippi River. While there is a virtually inexhaustible water supply from the river, the main water plant was constructed in 1934 and is limited in the amount of water it can treat. Output from a secondary water plant increases treatment capacity to 6.9 million gallons per day (MGD), but usage peaks at more than 6 MGD on hot summer days. It was possible that growth was going to overtake the City’s ability to supply potable water.

On November 5, 1996, voters approved a $26.5 million bond issue and a ¼¢ sales tax. The bond issue was developed to address the City’s water needs for the next 20 years, including the expansion of the main water plant and the upgrade of the distribution system. In addition, the City proposed to lower its treatment costs by drilling alluvial wells along a river sand bar rather than taking water directly from the river. The quality of river water can change frequently and requires more treatment and closer monitoring of chemical levels. Alluvial well water is cleaner and less susceptible to changes in the river.

In addition to City projects, the fourth major issue the community addressed was the quality of Cape Girardeau’s schools. Cape Girardeau had not built a new school since the mid-1960’s. In April 1997, voters passed a $14 million bond issue for the Cape Girardeau Public Schools to build a new high school, elementary school, and state-of-the-art vocational/technical school. Blanchard Elementary School and the Career and Technology Center opened in 2001 and the new high school opened in 2002.

St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church opened a new high school in 1998. The 90,000 square foot building sits on a 48-acre property and can accommodate up to 550 students.

Southeast Missouri State University continues to grow as well, with the opening of the new Dempster Hall business building, the new Polytechnic Building, remodeling of two older buildings, and wiring the campus with fiber optic cables. Training the region for new technologies also has become a priority. The university is partnering with area community colleges and vocational/technical schools to offer computer and business courses.

In 1998, the university and the City collaborated to develop a comprehensive performing arts center at the site of the historic St. Vincent’s Seminary on the Mississippi River. The $36.5 million "River Campus" project will combine under one roof the university’s music, art, dance, and drama schools, complete with performing halls and theaters. In addition, there will be a museum showcasing the region’s rich history. Half of the funding is planned to come from State government appropriations, 25% from private donations, and 25% from an increase and extension of the City’s hotel/motel and restaurant taxes (which was approved by voters in November 1998).

The success of all these projects would not have been possible without citizens’ faith in the community’s leaders and staff. Numerous meetings, presentations, and discussions expressed the need for the projects, but more importantly, the public had trust that the work would be done and the money spent wisely.

City Government Faces Change Through Teamwork and Communication
The tremendous changes in the community also bring the challenge for the City government to retain public trust in the future. The City has faced the challenge through the introduction of Team Management. Team Management involves employees in the decision-making process, streamlines operations, and creates greater ownership in City policies and services. In addition, team management allows the organization to be more responsive to the rapid changes facing local government.

The City uses teams to prepare for the new millennium by re-evaluating old practices and embracing new ideas to better serve the community. The City Council recently directed staff to develop an annexation policy for the City. A team was formed and prepared a policy that provided guidelines for orderly annexations. The Annexation Policy outlines the factors by which the City Council may approve annexations, including two critical factors: 1) Developments will not receive water and sewer service unless they are annexed; and 2) Land that is petitioned for annexation must be developed in accordance with City ordinances, building codes, and standards as though the property were already within the City limits. Another team addressing growth issues is the Mud Team, which is studying the effects of stormwater runoff and erosion control in new developments.

Somewhat older methods of communication like cable television and city newsletters have further expanded public information. The City’s primary means of communication is through its cable access channel. The channel began slowly, with only live broadcasts of the City Council and a limited bulletin board. The City currently produces two monthly television shows with the assistance of Southeast Missouri State University. City Source is a talk show that introduces City Council Members, Department Heads, and City staff. The other program is Behind the Badge, which focuses on the Cape Girardeau Police Department. This program features safety tips and emergency preparedness information.

The cable access channel also airs a weekly call-in program, Ask Your Doctor, which is produced by a local firm and provides health information for callers. Other programming is provided by the community, including AARP and Independently Speaking.

The majority of programming comes from a Bulletin Board which is displayed continuously except when airing videos. The Bulletin Board is used by Cape Girardeau and Jackson citizens to announce events and activities in and around the community.

In addition, the City offeres a monthly e-newsletter, Cape Chronicle, which is e-mailed to interested residents. The newsletter highlights city activities and informs citizens of important changes in the future.

These technological and informational capabilities provide the ability to not only inform citizens of City activities, but also to inform them about how they can get involved in the community. Further opportunities for community involvement are provided through two new recreational facilities: the Osage Community Centre and Shawnee Park Sports Complex. The City Council selected the projects and authorized the issuance of $5 million in revenue bonds to build the facilities. The bonds were funded through the City’s tourism sales taxes on restaurants and hotels/motels.

The Osage Community Centre is a medium sized multi-purpose building that features four small meeting rooms, a weight and fitness room, and 16,000 square foot main floor. The main floor is available for meetings with seating up to 1,800 people or for recreation with two full-sized basketball courts or four volleyball courts. The building was completed in May 1997 and is scheduling meetings and conventions.

The Shawnee Park Sports Complex is a regional center for competitive softball and soccer leagues. The facility offers five softball fields, ten soccer fields, a concession stand, and provides lighting for evening games. In its second summer of activity, the complex has hosted several state tournaments with others scheduled in future years.

Foundation for Community Growth
The infrastructure and technological improvements made by local government provide the foundation for the community to grow. Local businesses have embraced the future without jeopardizing their small town roots. Businesses to the north and west are booming, including the a $350 million expansion of the Procter & Gamble plant and the opening of several new retail stores. The housing market has been steady over the past four years, with single family home construction averaging more than $11 million annually.

The central business district, a problem area in many towns, is thriving. Businesses along the riverfront organized a Downtown Special Business District in 1983 and agreed to tax themselves to pay for street and lighting improvements. Since then, the downtown has changed its focus from traditional stores and five-and-dimes to specialty stores, restaurants, and bars. Cape Girardeau was named a Main Street Community in 2000, and " Old Town Cape " was formed to provide a coordinated approach to downtown improvements. Mississippi Riverboats frequently dock along the downtown riverfront to explore the unique shops and culture of Cape Girardeau .